9 Tempting Thai Recipes

Take your taste buds to the Far East with these exotic—and easy—dishes

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Intricate and fragrant, Thai cuisine is hailed for its four-point blend of flavors: spicy, sweet, sour and salty. Every dish, from green curry to coconut chicken soup, embodies that trademark combination, which is what makes the food so unique—and irresistible. For all of its complexity, Thai food can actually be made at home easily. With a few shortcuts—using a bottled sauce or substituting ginger for galangal (a variation of the root native to Southeast Asia)—you can create your own Thai table that's just as crave-worthy as takeout, but at a fraction of the cost.

Rice is the main starch of Thai cuisine; however, noodles—a Chinese influence—are now just as prominent on menus as rice dishes. These recipes showcase the variety of options you can use, from flat rice sticks to sesame noodles.

Sauces and curries are a specialty in Thai cooking. Although adopted from Indian cuisine, Thai blends are now distinctly their own, using coconut milk instead of ghee (clarified butter) as well as fresh or dried herbs and spices, like chiles, galangal (Thai ginger), Kaffir lime leaves, basil and lemongrass.

Presentation is key in Thai culture. When serving up a simple bowl of chilled noodles, try accenting the dish with attractive carved vegetables and fruit—a serious art form in Thailand—and a flower blossom or two.